Brother Printer Chips Get Approval Tick

Brother Printer Chips Get Approval Tick from ETIRA

Printer cartridge remanufacturers in Europe are applauding Brother Industry’s latest strategy which permits cartridge chips to be easily reused.

ETIRA, the European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers  Association, welcomes the move which is in harmony with a  cleaner Europe and endorses cartridge remanufacturing as a top priority.

Initially, there were fears the chips added to recently Brother cartridge models, might hinder and obstruct remanufacturing of the cartridge, as is the case with many other cartridge chips used by most OEMs.

“When these cartridges run empty, their chips can be easily reused time and time again,” a spokesperson from ETIRA advises. “This chip protects Brother’s IP rights but does not obstruct remanufacturing of the cartridge by independent cartridge remanufacturers. ”

According to ETIRA, this Brother strategy represents a key milestone in the fight against single-use cartridges, or SUCKs, and “addresses the needs of our society which calls for product reuse and meets the European Directive on Eco-Design.”

ETIRA has used this opportunity to call on all other printer manufacturers and the European authorities to follow the example set by Brother. Chips can enhance cartridge functionality but must never hinder cartridge reuse.

“We also ask for EU-wide minimum reuse thresholds for cartridges. Some EU member states are already aware of the damage that single-use plastic cartridges represent to the European environment.”

Cartridges are WEEE electronic waste and as such reuse is a top priority.

ETIRA also wants to mandate printer manufacturers to share data with third parties under a license agreement, similar to the arrangements that already exist in the car industry where manufacturers are obliged to supply independent repairers all information required to maintain and repair of all vehicles, including software, parts catalogues and manuals.

ETIRA stresses that for consumers and businesses, the best option is to reuse an OEM cartridge as a cartridge, as supplied by the thousands of remanufacturing companies across Europe. Remanufactured OEM cartridges are less expensive and 100% environment-friendly.